I've been speaking with REI regarding a gunwale (and other parts) order
for my 16' fiberglass Old Town canoe.

I also spoke with Old Town. Here's my beef and sticking point, not sure
what to do.

Old Town informed me they can only ship gunwales *with a canoe order*
to a dealer (in this case REI) to minimize shipping costs.

REI has informed me that they cannot guarantee that's the case and
wants to charge me $200 for shipping (when placing the order) which
they will then partially refund if the gunwales are shipped with a
canoe order.

Has anyone had an experience they can share with having gunwales
shipped? I wonder if there's any other way to get gunwales, another
dealer? shipped to me? etc. I can't take the risk of paying $200 to
ship $80 worth of parts, that's asinine.

Has anyone ever made their own gunwales? I do have access to equipment
and some knowledge of TIG welding and was thinking maybe I should make
these babies out of aluminum. ANY SUGGESTIONS as to what gauge aluminum
I would want to use to make these? They obviously need to bend to fit
the curve of the hull when riveted on.

HELP!

-Tom

On 6 Mar 2006 10:34:49 -0800, "TT" wrote:

I've been speaking with REI regarding a gunwale (and other parts) order
for my 16' fiberglass Old Town canoe.

I also spoke with Old Town. Here's my beef and sticking point, not sure
what to do.

Old Town informed me they can only ship gunwales *with a canoe order*
to a dealer (in this case REI) to minimize shipping costs.

REI has informed me that they cannot guarantee that's the case and
wants to charge me $200 for shipping (when placing the order) which
they will then partially refund if the gunwales are shipped with a
canoe order.

Has anyone had an experience they can share with having gunwales
shipped? I wonder if there's any other way to get gunwales, another
dealer? shipped to me? etc. I can't take the risk of paying $200 to
ship $80 worth of parts, that's asinine.

Has anyone ever made their own gunwales? I do have access to equipment
and some knowledge of TIG welding and was thinking maybe I should make
these babies out of aluminum. ANY SUGGESTIONS as to what gauge aluminum
I would want to use to make these? They obviously need to bend to fit
the curve of the hull when riveted on.

HELP!

-Tom

There are some boat building newsgroups and some forums. And there's
the Duckworks Web site.
--

r.bc: vixen
Speaker to squirrels, willow watcher, etc..
Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless.
Really.

On 6-Mar-2006, "TT" wrote:

I've been speaking with REI regarding a gunwale (and other parts) order
for my 16' fiberglass Old Town canoe.

Does it have to be an Old Town gunwale? Around here, I can get gunnels
made of any sort of material (aluminum, plastic, ash etc) to repair or make
a canoe. Unless there's something special about the Old Town, you might
be able to use a generic gunwale and buy closer to home.

ANY SUGGESTIONS as to what gauge aluminum
I would want to use to make these?

I think most aluminum gunwales are extruded, not bent sheet aluminum.
Ditto plastic. It would be easy enough to make a wood gunwale with
a router table and appropriate router bits. If you know a keen woodworker,
you could do it.

Mike

Michael Daly wrote:
On 6-Mar-2006, "TT" wrote:

I've been speaking with REI regarding a gunwale (and other parts) order
for my 16' fiberglass Old Town canoe.

Does it have to be an Old Town gunwale? Around here, I can get gunnels
made of any sort of material (aluminum, plastic, ash etc) to repair or make
a canoe. Unless there's something special about the Old Town, you might
be able to use a generic gunwale and buy closer to home.

I had a local cabinet shop do me a set of 14' ash gunwales for $60. Much
nicer than aluminum.

Think globally, shop locally.

--
Steve Cramer
Athens, GA

Tom, I have had gunwales sent from manufacturers with shipments of
canoes with no charge. I've also made my own ash gunwales.

But the easiest solution yet was finding an outfitter shop (Blue
Mountain Outfitters in Marysville Pennsylvania) that stocks various
gunwales (and deck plates and everything else too).

Whereabouts do you live? Maybe someone can recommend a more-or-less
local to you outfitter that carries gunwales in stock.

I'm located in Phoenix Arizona.

Old Town's website doesn't list many retailers here, and NO repair
facilities. One of the retailers listed recently stopped carrying Old
Town, so I am left with REI and Sports Authority, two big companies I'd
rather not deal with. I don't know of any local outfitters.

Thanks

-Tom

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm located in Phoenix Arizona.

Old Town's website doesn't list many retailers here, and NO repair
facilities. One of the retailers listed recently stopped carrying Old
Town, so I am left with REI and Sports Authority, two big companies I'd
rather not deal with. I don't know of any local outfitters.

Thanks

-Tom


Contact Donnie Dove at Canyon Reo in Flagstaff (you can google his website
as easily as I can). He deals with Mad River and a few other canoe
companies, and with his clout he might be able to get OldTown to send him
some rails.

Conversely, you could just make some ash gunnels yourself. Its pretty easy,
and looks much better than the aluminum or plastic ones that come stock.

--riverman

"riverman" wrote in message ...

Contact Donnie Dove at Canyon Reo in Flagstaff (you can google his website
as easily as I can).

But you'll have to spell it correctly: Canyon Rio

--riverman

I am in the same situation here in Oklahoma city....

Does anyone know any local places I can get PVC or the plastic type gunwales in Oklahoma City???

thank you,
kev

" wrote in
ps.com:

I walked into a local cabinet shop and asked for 2 14' pieces of clear
1"x1" ash. No problem. Cost about $40. Prettier than vinyl, and i use
it in WW, so don't think it's being babied. 16' might be a little more
difficult.

Probably, but couldn't you just scarf together a couple of 8' pieces?